Its all about the process

 

11 games to go for Wimbledon and no closer to knowing if we are able to escape the relegation places and the trapdoor to League Two. 

Relegation is a part of football and 4 teams have to be relegated each season, however this season is probably not the season to be one of them with the economy struggling and nobody able to forecast what next season will be like. Last season 1.5k players were reported to be out of contract and figures doing the rounds is 2k could be out of work this summer. 

A Ryan Longman equaliser with 25 minutes to go was enough to earn us a point and come from behind twice on the afternoon. Both goals on Saturday were examples of the processes Robbo is trying to introduce as quickly as possible this season. Longman’s first goal was the end product of a 7 pass move starting from George Dobson winning possession and ending with the ball nestling in the bottom right hand corner in front of a deserted away end at the North End of Plough Lane. Its still an unreal site of goals being scored at Plough Lane in front of a handful of officials and players and this strike deserved a crowd to celebrate the process starting to work. 

The second equaliser from Longman is harder to spot that the process is working. On first viewing its a terrible error from Akin Famewo, who under hit a back pass and Longman was on the move to tap home past Amos. Our process of pressing high and in numbers resulted in the error being made. Pigott, Longman and Dobson matched up the three Charlton players and blocked out all passing lines and put pressure on Famewo who did the rest. 

Its becoming more noticeable each week that this team is starting to understand what Robbo wants from them and its encouraging that we are likely to get better as we go into these last 11 games and hopefully do enough to stay in League One.

I can’t say I am confident  that we will still be a League One team next year, however if the worst happens, I am confident that the processes being implemented will mean we are a top half League Two team next season rather than struggling and fighting against a consecutive relegation, which could be the fate of Southend & Scunthorpe this season. League Two is not going to be easy and you only have to see how important promotion is, with Salford looking to recruit their third manager of the season. Gary Neville voted in favour of the recent wage cap, yet him along with the rest of the owners seem to want promotion yesterday and to give a new manager 11 games to work their magic is a tough ask. 

The playoffs in League Two could be interesting with Tranmere & Bolton both currently in the playoff places along with Morecambe & Newport. Anthony Hartigan is currently at Newport, yet seems to now be out of favour and the loan deal that was arranged under Glyn Hodges, now seems to be the weirdest and least productive of our previous loans. Hartigan didn’t even make the squad in a recent defeat to Leyton Orient and another newcomer, Joe Ledley looks to of taken his place on the bench. Really hope that we have some break clause in this loan deal and bring Hartigan back to Plough Lane where he will certainly feel wanted.

No game this week as midweek game against Rochdale has been rescheduled as they have internationals in their squad. Seems crazy to still have players travelling all over the world when we understand a third wave of Covid is approaching Europe, yet FIFA and UEFA seem to feel football carries on as normal. With Jaakko Oksanen declining the opportunity to play for his country this weekend, so that he could help his team in the relegation battle, it seems strange that Rochdale players haven’t done the same. 

At time like this I struggle to understand the football world and how it doesn’t seem to recognise the world outside the football bubble. With Plough Lane opening up as a vaccination centre this week for the local community, I am glad that we are playing our part, which should be no surprise, when we have just celebrated the year anniversary of Dons Local Action Group (DLAG) on the amazing work that the fans, volunteers and the clubs itself have supported amazingly.